Record Mississippi Flooding Prompts Evacuations, Disaster Declarations

The Mississippi River has reached near-record flood levels due to melting snow, prompting evacuations and disaster declarations.
Governors have issued disaster declarations for impacted areas, as roads and cities along the river are flooding in several Midwest states.
Some residents have evacuated their homes, while others are sandbagging and preparing flood defenses.
Officials are closely monitoring river conditions, though mandatory evacuations have not been ordered.
The flooding comes after last fall's drought lowered water levels, but heavy winter snow and spring melt have caused the river to rapidly rise.